German Companies Take Back the Power

As Electricity Costs Soar, Energy-Hungry Firms Have a Growing Incentive to Go Off the Grid

By

Jan Hromadko

March 2, 2014 7:16 p.m. ET

FRANKFURT—German companies are going off the grid.

Every sixth company in Europe's largest economy now generates its own electricity, roughly 50% more than one year ago, according to Germany's Chamber of Commerce and Industry. They range from rural family-owned companies to a vast Dow Chemical Co. plant that consumes 1% of the country's electricity.